1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article or an apparatus and more particularly to an article or an apparatus having an intrinsic utility combined with a marking indicia integrally disposed thereon for indicating the result of a contest or a game.
2. Background of the Invention
Various types of contests and games have been devised by the prior art to enhance the purchase or marketability of various types of products. Some in the prior art have utilized game cards incorporating secret indicia thereon for revealing the result of a contest or game. These game cards were typically distributed from the retailer either in person or by mail in an attempt to generate consumer interest in the product as well as invite attendance at the place of business of the merchant sponsoring or participating in the contest or game. For example, many in the prior art have utilized game cards with secret indicia thereon for encouraging attendance at the place of business of the merchant to provide an opportunity to sell other goods to the consumer. The secret game card comprised a cardboard sheet of written material incorporating a secret indicia thereon indicating whether a participating consumer was a prize winner upon removing an overcoating on the secret indicia. The attendance at the place of business of the merchant encouraged consumer purchase and the consumer was encouraged to visit the establishment of the merchant by virtue of the likelihood of winning in the contest or game. Various types of vendors have incorporated this type of promotional contest or game to generate additional business for the merchant or vendor.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned game cards do not have an intrinsic utility. Most of these game cards were immediately discarded upon the realization that the game card did not include a favorable or winning indicia thereon. Accordingly, these game cards represented a substantial consumer waste since the game card had no value once an unfavorable indicia was revealed.
It is a primary purpose of the present invention to provide a device for providing a useful article or apparatus incorporating a contest or game indicating indicia thereon whereby the consumer enjoys the use of the useful article or apparatus even if the indicating indicia thereon reveals an unfavorable result in the contest or game.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combined device and contest or game indicia which provides a low cost and useful device in the event that the prize winning indicia is unfavorable to the consumer.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combined device and contest or game indicia where the indicia may be integrally incorporated within the device whereby the device may act as a premium distributed with the purchase of another.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combined device and contest or game with the contest or game winning indicia disposed integrally on a conventional article or apparatus whereby the consumer receives the potential of winning the contest or game prize and the manufacturer expends only nominal funds in marking only selected ones of the articles or apparati produced in the normal course of business.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combined device and contest or game wherein the consumer may purchase the device at a conventional cost in addition to having the potential of winning a prize in the contest or game.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combined device and contest or game whereby the manufacturer may incorporate the contest or game into a conventional device without the need of separate game cards or the like.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.